Post by MP on Jan 4, 2011 17:39:54 GMT

The WrestlerDarren Aronofsky 2008 USAAfter suffering a heart attack, a professional wrestler gets in touch with his daughter with the help of a stripper he befriends.A straightforward drama with no foreseeable narrative arc that develops in story terms loosely (introducing its protagonist's daughter quite a bit into the plot) and in visual terms claustrophobically (if the camera isn't following its characters in close-up, they're obscured by a prop or seen from behind). It's a patient film that depicts a semi-retired working man as one whose chosen profession has helped alienate him from society; as a film about an industry in which entertainment is the name of the game and is often at the expense of both one's pride and physical condition it's a fascinating and detailed achievement, driven by Mickey Rourke's exceptional performance (Marisa Tomei's brilliant too).See also: DARREN ARONOFSKY.